After writing yesterday that Jordan’s King Abdullah was serious about finding a solution to the Israeli – Palestinian conflict, I was disappointed today to read that King Abdullah is putting the onus on the USA to head a solution to the conflict. King Abdullah, in speaking with US President Barack Obama today, told the US President that the US must take a more forceful role in spurring the peace process. … Continue reading →

Earlier today, Prince Friso and Princess Mabel of Orange-Nassau attend the 17th Annual AmsterdamDiner at the Heineken Music Hall. At the gala, Friso and Mabel mingled with various people from the Dutch business and entertainment sectors. Wearing a floor-length, cap-sleeve dark green evening gown; Mabel chatted and posed for photos with Dutch designers Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren, of label Viktor&Rolf (yes, the ones who designed the Bow Disaster of … Continue reading →

Legend has it that Grand Duke Dmitri Pavlovitch and Chanel met on a beach, although they may have been introduced to each other by Dmitri’s sister, Marie Pavlovna. One wonders what the dark and handsome Dmitri and the petite Chanel first said to each other! They soon became lovers. The Grand Duke and Grand Duchess certainly had a strong influence on Chanel’s fashion career. Dmitri introduced her to the former … Continue reading →

With the 2009 Wimbledon Championship starting on Monday, all eyes are firmly focussed on Andy Murray but Royal watchers will be surveying the scene for the odd Prince and Princess (and let’s face it there’s quite a few odd ones about these days). Years ago, there was no question of a Royal-less Wimbledon as the long-time President of Wimbledon All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club did her duty by … Continue reading →

Following their visit to Peru, Japan’s Prince and Princess Hitachi have continued their Latin American tour by travelling to Bolivia. After arriving in the Bolivian capital La Paz on Monday night, the royal couple headed to the rural district of Colonia Okinawa on Tuesday where they had lunch with Japanese migrants and their descendants. Colonia Okinawa is a prosperous agricultural centre that was founded by Japanese immigrants. The area was … Continue reading →

Countess Alexandra of Frederiksborg, former wife of Prince Joachim, has refused an invitation to participate in the Danish version of ‘Strictly Come Dancing’, a show which sees minor celebrities and would-be celebrities dance in competition with each other to win the competition with their dancing, and perhaps get their ’15 minutes of fame’. Alexandra was allegedly also offered a position on the show two years ago, which she politely refused. … Continue reading →

HM King Abdullah is in Belgium this week, meeting with the heads of NATO in the hopes of finally finding a solution to the never ending Israeli – Palestinian Conflict. As head of the most forward thinking nation in the region, and one of the most respected and well known Heads of State in the Arab world, King Abdullah is serious about finding a peaceful solution to the conflict. Not … Continue reading →

In an uncharacteristic move, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia has advocated and in fact urged for leaders of the three largest faiths in the world, Christianity, Judaism and Islam, to come together and work towards a peace among the religions in the region. In a scene straight from the middle ages, and unfortunately still true today, these three monotheistic faiths are still, as they have always been, at war of … Continue reading →

The Associated Foreign Press (AFP) and the London Telegraph reported today that Princess Alexia of Greece and Denmark’s husband Carlos Morales spent more than five hours answering questions before a Spanish judge in connection with an investigation of corruption. Twenty-One people have already been arrested or charged in connection with the investigation. As first reported on this website yesterday, and with much respect to the AFP and London Telegraph, they … Continue reading →

A special evening for the Friends of the Hermitage with a reception and fingerfood….blinis and caviar… Speeches by Beelaerdts van Blokland, van Veen (director) and the Director of the Hermitage Sint Petersburg. If any of you visited the Hermitage Sint Petersburg, this branch here in Amsterdam is only 1/10 of that in size.But what is on show is dazzling. The over 160 Court Dresses and uniforms, meticulously restored by a … Continue reading →

On this rainy Friday morning, queen Beatrix visited the first phase of the art project ‘village images’ in Coevoorden. Seven sculptures are displayed on along route through seven towns in the province of Drenthe. This is only a start though, the project by the foundation ‘Natuurkunst Drenthe’ (Natural Art Drenthe) hopes to have at least 20 sculptures on this route by the year 2012. The scultures have been made since … Continue reading →

On the 6th January 1999 the long awaited engagement between Prince Edward and Miss Sophie Rhys Jones was finally announced. image The couple were presented to the press at St. James’s Palace gardens that day. Sophie’s diamond ring was one of the most expensive engagements rings ever in the British royal family. image The wedding took place at 5pm on Saturday 19th June 1999 in St George’s Chapel Windsor followed … Continue reading →

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, figurehead leader of the locked up Russian Federation, began a visit to one of the most liberal nations, The Netherlands, when he landed in Amsterdam today. In town at the invitation of Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende to discuss bilateral relations between the two nations, who have a strong trading partnership, Medvedev will also meet with Dutch Queen Beatrix, the majority shareholder in Koninklijke Shell, one … Continue reading →

King Harald V and his wife Queen Sonja paid a visit to Hordaland between June 16th and 18th, 2009. The couple visited Tysnes, Austevoll, Fedje, Austrheim, Lindås and Radøy. There was already a visit planned to this region in 2005, but it was cancelled due to the King’s illness. Hordaland is the third largest county in Norway, after Askerhus and Oslo in population. You can read more about the region … Continue reading →

These last days queen Beatrix, her son prince Willem-Alexander and princess Máxima had several public activities. On Tuesday HM the Queen went to Slochteren (Groningen), where she celebrated the 50th anniversary of the drilling for gas in the province of Groningen. The queen unveiled an appropriate piece of art from Marc Ruygrok : a methane molecule of 8 meters high. On Wednesday attended the final ceremony of the anti racism … Continue reading →

Every fashion watcher loves Royal Ascot and the opening two days of the annual race meeting did not disappoint. Tuesday and Wednesday witnessed one of the biggest numbers of British royals attending in recent years. Day One – Tuesday The carriage procession today included the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Duke of York, the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall and Princess Beatrice. The Queen wore a bright … Continue reading →

The royal birthday celebrations began with a luncheon aboard the royal yacht, Dannebrog. Even though the day was grey and the weather rainy, the two princesses dazzled Danish royal watchers who had gathered to see the guests board the yacht. First to arrive was Princess Marie, who gave birth just slightly over one month ago. She looked slim and elegant in a soft grey jacket, which she paired with crisp … Continue reading →

Japan’s Emperor Akihito and his wife, Empress Michiko, will leave Tokyo on July 3 in order to pay an official visit to Canada and the US state of Hawaii that will last until July 17. The visit is meant to promote goodwill and friendship between Japan and Canada, the United States and Hawaii and will mark 80 years of diplomatic relations between Japan and Canada. Diplomatic relations between Japan and … Continue reading →

According to newspaper the ‘Telegraaf’ the best way to describe the annual National herring party at Castle the Nyenrode in Breukelen is to call it the Ascot of the Low Countries. No horses, stylish carriages or bowler hats though, but a lot of Atlantic herring. The ladies with hats might be the only thing it has in common with Ascot. Yesterday was the 68th edition of the party and the … Continue reading →

Twenty five years ago Prince Charles, in a fit of righteous indignation, condemned an architectural plan for being, in his words, “a monstrous carbuncle on the face of an old friend”, thus enraging the Royal Institute of British Architects, who angrily bit back at anyone having the temerity to question their architects’ view of the future. A future that seemed to be a cold, soulless, glass and concrete skyscraper jungle … Continue reading →